Journal Five by Miranda

Role Models

Part one: My Favorite chapter would have to be Geraldo No Last Name. It stood out because it’s different from other chapters. It makes you wonder, and leaves you hanging more than the other chapters in the book. A theme about this chapter would be mystery. You wonder why Geraldo is important, yet it gives you no reason or explanation. All throughout the book, Cisneros writes in a very unique and capturing manner.  In this chapter alone she writes, “his name is Geraldo. Amd his home is in another country. The ones left behind are far away, will wonder, shrug, remember. Geraldo-he went north… we never heard from him again“ on page 66, which I believe is at its best. I see it as how would a younger girl like Esperanza, really know that is what will happen.

Part Two: In my childhood, I gained new neighbors when I was five. The family lived across a field onto the next road over. My neighbor Darlene, who was the mom quickly became a mother figure in my life. My parents had gotten a divorce just months before, causing my mother to be out of the picture. Darlene soon treated me as one of her daughters. She already had three, a four year old, a two year old and one that was just a few months old. Now me, a five year old.

Throughout growing up she was the person I would go to if I had a problem. The older I got, she told me that I should never rely on any other person. Make sure I have what I need to survive and not expect someone else to be there. She also would tell me that I could be anything I wanted, and I have unlimited opportunities to do so. She would talk about how when she grew up in the 70’s nobody ever told her she could go out and do whatever she wanted with her life.

Now I have the attitude that I am going to go out and become successful. Not to let anyone drag me down or hold me back from being happy and doing what I love. She has pushed me to go get a higher education, just like any other good mom would. She taught me that I need to make myself happy and not base my feelings on someone else. Without her, I wouldn’t have as big of a fire under me to go out and do what I need to do in life to be happy.